Hey Garry, It seems like every time I write to you it’s a negative piece. I have always been very optimistic about this team, however that optimism has just banged off the right upright.
As I sat there yesterday watching a less than mediocre team compete with another slightly mediocre team battle, I saw this season and maybe even the Reid/McNabb tenure in a nutshell. You saw flashes of brilliance to start the game by both the offense and defense. Everyone was hoping that this was the team we all thought they would be this year. But of course, we have to remember this is Philly. The sports town that loves to build up your hopes, and then quickly pull the carpet out from under your feet. After Andy and Marty’s scripted set of plays was finished we saw incompetence from top to bottom on the offense, except of course from the Running Back position. There was the usual questionable play calling, clock management and downright awful execution in the passing game.
I thought we were all fed that Andy was supposed to be this great offense mind. If it’s so great why has the team only managed to score more than 17 points in 5 of its 13 games? Two of those games featured someone other than McNabb as the quarterback. So, only 3 out of 11 games he’s played a part in the team has been north of the 17 point Mendoza line. Typically if your defense can old the opposing team to 17 points or less, you should win. Key word is should. Playoff teams win those games. Watching him play this year there has been flashes of his old self, but for the most part it has almost appeared as though he has regressed. When you are running toward the sidelines and nobody is open, throw the ball out of bounds. Isn’t that part of Quarterbacking 101? In the past he was able to make unbelievable plays out a broken down situation, but that isn’t happening anymore. Maybe it will next year when he has had more than enough time to heal from his significant injury. But, I doubt we will have the privilege to see that here in Philadelphia. This offense clearly needs a QB that is going to make a quick decision and get rid of the ball. Time after time there are excuses on why the offense isn’t moving the ball successfully, but it did seem to move fine when there was another QB. The receivers don’t seem to have the YAC with McNabb that they have with others. The intermediate route under 15 yards rarely hits the receiver in stride to allow them to continue running. I know I’m beating a dead horse but it’s very frustrating to continually watch this. Obviously, the mistakes by A.J. outweigh the positive things he did, but the team, including the receivers looked like they had confidence in their ability to move the ball.
That brings me to my main point. Confidence. I have a hard time believing that anyone has any confidence in Andy’s ability to adjust during the game. It’s now been nine years and this has always been his Achilles heal. This week is the perfect example of that. The team came out like gang busters and drove the ball down the Giants throat. Where was the offense the rest of the game? His offense has become too predictable and easy to adjust to from a defensive stand point. Especially when you are coaching against a man that was part of your very own coaching staff for a number of years. You don’t think he understands Andy’s deficiencies and exploits them? That’s what good coaches do. Has Andy become so self absorbed that he thinks that his way or the highway approach is always going to work? Last year he fired himself from the play calling duties and you quickly saw improvement in the offense. Another mix up needs to be made. Fresh ideas are needed more than ever right now. Does Andy have full confidence in Donovan’s ability to run the offense the way it should be? Why does the play calling appear to be different when there are other QB’s in there? Is it simply the fact that Donovan doesn’t make the quick read and make the pass even though the D-Back is close to the receiver? It’s been the same story really for the past 2-3 seasons.
Another question I would like answered is how relevant is the West Coast Offense anymore? Why is there such reluctance to adjust your style of offense around your players and their abilities? Only 2 West Coast based offensive teams have won the Super Bowl in the past 10 years, and one of them Tampa Bay, arguably was lead by their stud defense and mediocre offense.
This team obviously is lacking playmakers on offense other than Brian Westbrook. When your running back is your main source of offense, wins will be hard to come by. I think if you ask Barry Sanders that he will agree with no question. Andy says in his press conference that the team has three more games to figure why the offense is struggling, but they’ve had 13 and haven’t figured it out, what makes him think they will now figure it out? Day late and a dollar short Andy. It’s time for some big decisions to be made, and I’m not ready for a few years of rebuilding and bad football, but at least we’d expect the team to play poorly if that’s the decision made. This is the off season in which Andy and Tom Heckert will need to earn their money. I hope they make the right decisions this time around.
Thanks for allowing me to vent.
Tim
